Australian Working Holiday visa is one of the most popular visas among young people. Australia has currently working holiday arrangements with 20 countries, allowing their passport holders aged between 18 and 30 to spend one year in the country with limited permission to work up to 6 months in any one job.
There’s a lot of information on this visa and you’ve probably heard different stories of your friends’ experiences Down Under. But don’t trust everything – an Australian Working Holiday visa is surrounded by so many myths. We’ll try to reveal 5 of them here.
Myth No 1: I can get more than one working holiday visa!
This is possible only if you do harvest work for 3 months on your first visa. If you don’t want to be in a farm, you can’t avail yourself of a second working holiday visa. You can apply for your second visa immediately after the first one expires or at any time before you turn 31.
Myth No 2: If I do 3 months of farm work, the government will automatically extend my current visa for another year.
If you stay after your first working holiday visa expires without doing anything, you can get illegal in the country. You need to apply for a Second Working Holiday visa before your first one expires. Remember, it’s your responsibility to adhere to your current visa validity and conditions.
Read Also:
How can I get a Working Holiday Visa for Australia?
Myth No 3: I won’t be able to return to Australia if I claim my Superannuation back!
Not true. Superannuation is actually a pension fund and your employer is obliged to pay 12% of your wages in that account. You will be able to use this amount after you get retired in Australia but as you are in the country for a Working holiday only, you can claim your superannuation once your visa expires. This doesn’t prevent you, however, from entering Australia in future. If you come back to work again, you’ll need to open a new Super account to be able to earn again.
Myth No 4: I’m not obliged to pay tax as I’m a Backpacker in Australia.
False. Since you work in Australia, you need to pay tax. But you can claim your taxes back at the end of the tax year. You need a tax file number in order to start working in Australia. Working with a tax file number gives you the opportunity to pay lower tax rates at about 29%.
Myth No 5: Once I get a Working Holiday Visa, I can activate it at any time before I turn 31.
This is not true. You need to enter Australia within 12 months from the date your visa is granted. If you’ve never used your Working Holiday visa, you can apply for a new one should you still meet the visa requirements.
Visa First is a leading international immigration consulting company. For additional information about Australian visa options, you can e-mail us at info@visafirst.com.
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